Picking the Right Rancher

I hate watermelon Jolly Ranchers--I really truly despise them! At the same time, I absolutely love the blue raspberry ones. One thing I've noticed, however, is that most of the bags are practically filled with watermelon Jolly Ranchers and the the blue raspberry ones are scarce. Not only are they scarce, but they're at the very bottom of the bag. To get to these, I have to dig through all of the gross Jolly Ranchers to get to the kind that I enjoy, and maybe even enjoy the occasional grape or apple Jolly Rancher on my way.

I feel cheesy for saying this, but it reminds me of life. You have do work hard and dig through the crappy times, taking a few halfway decent pick-me-ups on the way before you can get to the part that you love. This might be graduating from high school, graduating college, getting married, having children, or even something as simple as going to the store to get a new bag of Jolly Ranchers.

So next time things aren't going the way you want them to, pop a grape Jolly Rancher in your mouth and keep on truckin'.

Internet Mall Cops--They do exist.

I definitely feel like Paul Blart from the movie Paul Blart: Mall Cop.

The reason for this was because, yesterday, the owner of the website "Bzoink" (previously mentioned in my blog) asked me if I would become a forum moderator. I accepted and now I'm posting around the website with "Forum Moderator" under my icon and it feels like the badges that mall cops wear. I feel all-powerful because I can officially close and delete threads, create sticky threads, and edit and delete people's posts at my own will. Muahahaha, watch out everyone, there's a new forum moderator in town!

This kind of reminds me of then I was in 4th grade and I was on the safety patrol...I did basically nothing, really, but just walking around the car pick up with my bright orange belt, being looked up to by those measly third graders made me feel good about myself.

It's not like being a forum moderator is all that amazing--especially on a website as small and unused as Bzoink, but I still feel pretty special that out of everyone, Andy (the owner) would choose me to do it. I really looked at the job since the previous moderator quit a few months ago, but I really didn't do much but suck up to the owner (who is a pretty cool guy, anyway), obey the site rules, and try to keep other people in line with them and finally it paid off.

Well kind of. It's not like I'm getting paid or anything.

I really don't know what the point of this blog was other than me expressing my excitement at my new found "power" (that really is nothing but a name).

Onto a random change of subject--

My birthday is in about 12 days. I know that 16 isn't really old, but I've been looking back on the past year thinking, "what the heck have I been doing?" Because honestly, I don't know. It's so strange how I felt like I was age 14 forever and then age 15 went by in a blink and suddenly I'm driving, looking at colleges, thinking about jobs, watching people I've been friends with since grade school graduating from high school...A good friend of mine that I've actually been friends with for about ten years just turned 18 a little less than a month ago and it kind of freaks me out. Everything about growing up kind of gives me the willies...The idea of making my own choices and actually having to pay for stuff on my own just makes me want to throw myself on the ground and pound my fists while screaming, "I don't wanna grow up!"

I think I've watched Peter Pan about 20 times since April 12th, wishing that I could be Peter and never grow up, never have responsibilities. But at the same time, I do want to grow up. I want to grow up and get my own house, get my independence, and so on and so forth. It's exciting and nerve wracking at the same time.

Any advice would be greatly accepted (as would birthday presents ;])

Technology Criticism

I'm not sure how this came about in my manic little mind, but I suddenly began thinking about technology. How it's evolved and the different points of view involving it.

I'm not sure where I heard this, but apparently Catholics and some Christians were urging people to turn off their cell phones and computers in order to focus on their relationships with people. I don't honestly understand how this would solve anything. I have family and friends in Florida--Facebook keeps me connected with them. Without my computer and Facebook, I would very rarely get to talk to them. Before I found them on Facebook, I didn't know a thing about them!

I personally believe that we should take technology and embrace it. I see no problem with having online friendships and relationships. One of my favorite websites is called Bzoink.com and on this website, I became good friends with people via the internet! The people on this site no nothing about me but my first name, but I still have a great relationship with them and I'm able to talk to them and laugh with them. Even more helpful is the fact that it is closely monitored by the owner of the website, Andy. He monitors all of the things said and event he personal messages to make sure no one is being harmed or harrassed. If you're not stupid on the internet, you're not going to get hurt unless you're extremely unlucky.

Another thing that I've fallen in love with is the iPhone 3G. I mean, there are some setbacks (not being able to copy and paste, inability to send pictures, etc...) but most of these issues will be worked out with the iPhone 3.0 OS software. I can remember when the RZR, an okay phone that didn't do a whole lot was the thing to have. It was the coolest phone on the market and costed a large price of 350 bucks! I bought my iPhone for 200 and it does pretty much everything. It has a GPS system, internet, mp3, YouTube, endless amounts of free --Anywhere you are for a low price of 30 bucks a month.

So, basically, technology should not be considered a bad thing! It's helped us in so many ways, and people who get hurt from it tend to just be...with lack of a better word...idiots. (Or they have extremely bad luck)

2012, Volcanoes, and Black Holes Eating Us

One thing that's been weighing on my mind for quite some time is the Mayan calender, the super volcanic eruption, black holes eating us all, and overall the end of the world. When this topic
appears, I tend to stray away from talking about it.

I'm a huge history fan and I watch the History Channel a lot--However, a couple of days ago I turned it on, but instead of something on the Great Mississippi Flood or WWI, a segment on the carious possible causes of the apocalypse was on. My first thought was, "What the heck? The apocalypse is in the future. Why is this on the History Channel?" However, I then realized that they were discussing various things that happened in the past that led scientists and historians to believe that they could repeat, thus causing the end of the world.

Intrigued, I continued to watch the show. They began to talk about a super volcano in Yellow Stone Park having a major eruption. I'm thinking, "Oh, I'm miles upon miles away from Yellow Stone. Obviously this doesn't apply to me. To those in Yellow Stone and around that area? Sorry about your luck."

After further investigation involving me sitting on my butt watching the program, I found out that an eight foot layer of heavy ash was supposed to completely cover the entirety of the United States in about a week. Getting out of the US would be pretty much impossible before the ash accumulated on top of your house and cars. Soon enough, you would be inhaling the ash, creating a cement block in your lungs.

At this point, I was completely freaked out and decided to switch the TV over to Mythbusters, one of my favorite shows, on Discovery Channel. Lucky for me, they were doing a pretty funny episode.

But anyway, my question is, why is no one preparing for this stuff? Part of me wants to believe that it isn't really that much of a threat, part of me wants to believe that everyone is just turning a blind eye to it (much like myself). There's also the fact that there are so many threats to the earth that we can't prepare for all of them (and plus, we're only ever focusing on the environment, which I sincerely doubt will be the Earth's downfall.)

So I just decided to prepare myself emotionally if something like that did happen--It's really the only thing I can do.

Now, I know I'm going to get a few comments saying, "Just live life to the fullest." I am--I can promise you that I am--But the fear is still there.

Which leads me to another topic. Death. What happens when we die? While I'm a firm believer in Heaven, Hell, the Trinity and the like, there's still that, "What if?" That lingers in the back of my mind. What if I'm not living like the right way to go to heaven? And even before that, what if I die miserably? What if I die before I get to do what I want? What if I die before I visit Ireland? What if I die before I get to tour around in a van with my band?

These "what ifs" nag me from time to time--Especially with this whole, "Mayan calender 2012" thing. Hell, that's the year after I graduate high school! How much would that suck?

"Yeah, I just graduated high school!"
"Oh, that's exciting. Did you hear that a week from now the entire world will be covered in eight feet of ash?"

I keep telling myself that 2012 is the new Y2K which was the new 1998 (which had almost half of the days of the year presumed as "Doomsdays"). And we're still here.

Also, apparently yesterday (April 27th, 2009) was supposed to be the end of the world. That's comforting.

I'll end with a couple quotes--
"This is not the end. This is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." -Winston Churchill

"No man has learned anything rightly until he knows that everyday is doomsday."-Ralph Waldo Emerson





(A quick extra note. I think I believe this apocalypse theory the most:

4,500,000,000 AD

The sun will swell into a red giant star, swallowing Mercury, Venus, Earth, and perhaps Mars. This will be the true end of the world!

)

"Prophecies of doom are nothing new." -Edward Teller

Got my new phone today. The world will end soon.

This iPhone is great other than the fact that you have to buy an application in order to send pictures. Aside from that, the typing pad isn't too difficult to use once you get the hang of it. But yeah, I'm overall very happy with the phone. It's a lot of fun.

Ps Debbie- iPhone's tetris is crizzazzy fo'shizzle.

I really...

want to go back to Florida.



Getting my new phone will be lovely, too.

From the wonderful mind of Douglas Adams

The History of every major Galactic Civilization tends to pass through three distinct and recognizable phases, those of Survival, Inquiry and Sophistication, otherwise known as the How, Why and Where phases. For instance, the first phase is characterized by the question "How can we eat?" the second by the question "Why do we eat?" and the third by the question "Where shall we have lunch?"



If you have yet to read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, I definitely recommend that you head to the nearest building of books to get our hands/paws/tentacles on the book. It's definitely worth the read.

Gerard's taken his Tranny search all the way to Florida....

'Nuff said.

Home Again

I come home to my dog peeing on the floor and a conversation about putting him to sleep. Pongo, my 13 (almost 14)-year-old Doberman, has tumors all over his body, and he just has this sick look about him--Despite his happy face. This conversation sparked many emotions for me. I know that Pongo is in a lot of pain and his kidneys are about done in and it makes me feel relieved that he might get put out of his pain. At the same time, this is the dog that I grew up with. He's practically my little brother from a different species and the idea of him not being around practically terrifies me.

I have a feeling that, for the next while, Pongo will be the topic of most of our conversations, including the one I'm having with my father as I type this out.

Baylee Jayde says hi, by the way.

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

There's some sort of excitement wwhen the day comes to board a plane and fly over fields, moutains, towns, cities...Yet, there's always a sense of mystery when you look down from the window and wonder what state you're flying over or when you look out to the aisle of the plane and wonder when the flight attendant plans on bringing you a diet coke and over-salted peanuts. Can't they tell you're starving?

Most people that I talk to think of flying as a hassle--Something they only do because it's a faster means of travelling. I find it fun and exciting. What's more fun and hurtling through the air at 550 miles per hour, 20,000 miles above the earth in a metal tube with a load of compressed air, tons of luggage, and rows upon rows of people?

I love to sit in airports and watch people, making stories in my mind about where they're going, what they're doing, and what their home lives are like. Do they travel a lot for business? Maybe they're just going on vacation with their family. Perhaps someone is filled with excitement about reuniting with their lover or family that they hadn't seen for quite some time.

People may hate flying, but it opens up so many new opportunities. Just think--A trail that used to take months (maybe even years) to travel, filled with lack of food and electricity can now be travelled in the space of a few hours with free peanuts and beverages (not to mention the view)!

Yeah...Flying is great.

Gulp

I told Debbie (see my last post) about a story I wrote not long ago so I thought that I'd post it on here. It's not a comedic story, just a warning, but it's meant to portray the fact that music can be a healing aspect in the lives of many people.

Gulp

The smoky, almost empty pub, it was quiet--dead silent, in fact, as the lonely widows and heartbroken men were seated all around, smoking and drinking their pain and sorrows away. The only sounds that could be heard were the muttered orders to the barman and the clinking of a frosted mug being placed back on the table.

There was one man; his name was Frank, who sat in the corner near the bathroom with a cigarette hanging loosely from his pale, chapped lips. His heart was heavy with sorrow and loss, missing his wife dearly. He felt as though he was being tortured, heavy stones being placed on his chest one by one until his bones would crumble under pressure.

Gulp.

Gerald had chronic migraines that just never went away, leaving his stomach churning and his eyes losing focus. His skin was pale with sickness and black spots appeared in front of his eyes whenever he made any sudden movements, added with the loss of another patient at work months before—his mistake. He just didn’t see the tumor hiding in the man's brain…And now Gerald has a tumor of his own, pressing against his skull. He was terminal.

Gulp.

Michael, Gerald’s brother, sat across from the older man and sighed, using his only arm to take a swig of the deep red drink that tasted of vomit, with a hint of cranberries. Michael didn’t care. He had just gotten his arm amputated after a car accident…His dreams were shattered to pieces, and he saw no reason to live anymore, especially with his brother dying slowly and painfully right in front of his eyes.

Gulp.

Robert sat at the bar, continuously ordering shot after shot of whiskey, throwing them back like a pro. His overgrown blonde hair shielded his eyes from the other occupants of the bar. He wanted to just forget the memory of her perfect smile, the laugh lines and hugs that calmed him since he was a child. The bedtime stories he suddenly wished he hadn’t fallen asleep during. He wished he could go back in time and realize that his mother was mortal.

Gulp.

Ray studied the scene around him while sipping his tonic and gin. Every face held a deep frown, every pair of eyes were filled with pain. Ray could feel the loneliness and hurt in the room, and when the silence became too much for him to bear, he stood, jumping when the joints in his knees cracked. Two of the other men in the room turned to look at him. Ray ignored with curious gazes, as his eyes were fierce and determined as he walked up to the dusty, practically unused piano, shoved unceremoniously into the corner of the bar. The bartender looked up in confusion as he wiped off the empty mug that had previously been in the hands of Frank.

Ray flinched at the unpleasant creaking of the piano cover as he opened it and ran his hand lightly over the keys, managing to get some of the dust and gunk off of them. He sat down on the rickety stool and ran his hands across the keys, creating a melody that seemed to change the entire feel within the pub. It was soft and slow, yet hopeful and beautiful.

Frank stood and walked towards the piano, almost hypnotized by the music flowing from the old, misused instrument, and he began to dance.

Gerald opened his bloodshot eyes and turned them from the drink in his hands to the music.

Michael watched with a simple curiosity and began to tap his foot to the beat of the beautiful song.

Robert swiveled on his chair and looked to where a drunken tattooed man was slow dancing with himself to the music, pretending his wife was in his arms once again.

Everyone seemed spellbound by the healing music being created in front of their eyes and ears. They all gathered around the instrument and felt their troubles and pain disperse more effectively than any amount of alcohol or drugs, through the healing power of music.

…and they danced…

Alright, here we go again.

This is my third time re-starting this blog. I seem to always forget that I have a blog, and by time I remember that I have one, I would have changed so much that my old posts don't reflect me or anything going on in my life at all.



People always say that third time's a charm, right?



I've spent a great six days in the lovely Ft. Myers/Naples, FL. I spent some time with some good friends, Debbie and Wane and we did all sorts of things. Everything ranging from Algebra homework to beating the Sharks in basketball--Debbie and I could totally go pro if we wanted to. (Haha, as if.)


We spent a lot of time at the bookstore, which was completely and totally fine by me. I wish there was a bookstore close to my house, because I would definitely adopt their habits.



They were both way too good to me. They bought all of my food, drinks, coffee... and Wane cooked this delicious lemon chicken. Just thinking about it has me salivating. I had an absolutely amazing time with them, despite being a bad influence on Debbie. (Between Facebook and Tetris, she'll never sleep!)


Now Wane, fo'rizzle, is pretty much the nicest guy I've ever met. I really didn't know guys that nice existed.



So, after a few days of aligators, starfish, sharks, bookstores, coffee, Facebook, YouTube, basketball, Tetris ("That was NOT what I meant to do, at ALL!" -Debbie), shells, and laughter, I was summoned by my lovely father to my aunt's house--Just a short drive from Debbie and Wane's house.



It was nice to see some cousins that I haven't seen for a while and whatnot. However, my dad was bound determined that he was going swimming in my cousin, Laurie's pool, despite the chilly air outside. Of course, I was dumb enough to follow suit. It wasn't as cold as I thought it would be, but hey--the pool was heated.



Yesterday evening we had a cookout type thing and my cousin, Tyler, and a couple of his friends took me to the community pool. I thought that pool was warm. The Florida boys thought differently. I was warm and content walking back to Laurie's house--The boys were shivering and complaining.



Then we get back to Laurie's house, along with their heated swimming pool. I jumped in thinking that it was like a hot tub while the Florida boys STILL thought it was freezing cold. Ridiculous, I say. They started doing all these 'manly' things, but instead made complete fools out of each other (and themselves).


So, that was...amusing. I beat one of the guys in a race and I think it put quite the damper on his pride. Whoops.


Today my aunt took my dad and I to the beach, which was a lot of fun. It was the perfect weather, too! We ate at a place called Pete's Time Out, which my dad thought was the greatest thing, despite the poor tasting food.


So in short, my vacation has been absolutely amazing thanks to great food, people, and weather.

(And I will definitely be back again.)